Glitch in the CounterProductive Button – June 28 to July 4

The CounterProductive Button experienced downtime between Saturday, June 28 and Friday, July 4 2025 due to a connectivity issue.

What Happened

While I was out of town for the week, the button entered an error state and displayed the message: W Rec

This stands for “WiFi Reconnect” and indicates that the device was unable to establish a connection with the server that records button presses. As a result, no presses were logged during this time, and the counter did not increment.

The failure was caused by a network configuration issue that prevented the button from reaching the MQTT server it normally uses to publish updates.

Why the Project Didn’t End

According to the rules of the project, the button must be pressed regularly to keep the count going. However, I don’t consider this downtime the end of the project. The issue was technical issue, not a failure of participation or interest.

If the button had been functioning properly and no one had pressed it, that would have marked a meaningful end. But this was a system fault, not a social one.

What’s Changed

As of version 5, now deployed to the button, the following improvements have been made:

• Added backup MQTT server support in case the primary goes down.
• Improved error handling and automatic reconnection logic.
• Added visual feedback to distinguish between network vs. server errors.
• More calls to actions text
  • “Do Not Let Me Die - Press the Button”
  • “Time is Running Out - Press the Button”
  • “Press Before Its Too Late - Press the Button”
  • “This Button Fears Oblivion - Press the Button”
  • “Every Press Delays the Inevitable - Press the Button”
  • “Help Me Stay Awake - Press the Button”
  • “Tap Me to Save the Day - Press the Button”
  • “I Exist Because You Care - Press the Button”
  • “The System Demands Your Touch”
  • “Press the button Now. Explain Later”
  • “This Moment Needs You - Press the Button”
  • “HELP! - Press the Button”
  • “Keep It Going - Press the Button”
  • “You Make This Happen - Press the Button”
  • “One Press Cant Hurt - Press the Button”
  • “Be Part of the Story - Press the Button”
  • “The Power Is in Your finger - Press the Button”
  • “Keep the Streak Alive - Press the Button”
  • “Keep the Signal Alive - Press the Button”

Status

As of July 4, 2025, the button is live again and functioning normally.

The count resumes.

The experiment continues.